Forgotten Village
by CameronNinjaDragons
Summary: They don't know how they remember each other, but the faces seem familiar. But remembering how they know each other is an entirely different task then remembering their names. (Story is much better!)
1. Chapter 1

"Oh come on Cole, get outta my way!" Kai yelled, shoving the thirteen year old. Cole glared at the younger boy, flicking his shoulder. then Kai grabbed Cole's arm, trying to twist it.

"Kai, stop! My arm!" Cole groaned, pulling away from Kai, causing the twelve year old to fall to the floor. An older teen walked up to the two of them, grabbing the back of each of their shirts. He pulled both boys slightly off of their seats, forcing them to stand.

"Both of you knock it off," he said, still holding the backs of each of their shirts. "Or I'll see to it that your minds get wiped and you're thrown out by tomorrow. Clear?"

"Crystal..." Kai muttered, while Cole responded with a simple "Yes."

"Good," the teen walked back to where he had been sitting. Cole let out a sigh, having heard the threat several times before. It was something that the older kids liked to say to scare the younger ones.

"Who do you think's gonna get the new boy?"

"Probably one of the younger teens, you know they start getting jobs when they turn thirteen."

"I hope he's cute."

Cole attempted to tune out the two girls chattering away and focus on the now leaving, and the new kid that had arrived earlier in the week. The children that were leaving were no longer considered children or teenagers, they were eighteen, the odd twenty-one year old. Cole knew that he would probably be the one stuck with the new kid, him being the only thirteen year old boy out of the fifty kids in the village.

"I would like Cole to come up here please," the Leader announced, a slight smile on her face. She looked down at the boy next to her, Jay, who had arrived just the day before. Jay was still shaky and jumpy, but she knew that he would calm down eventually. "Everyone, this is Jay, and he's the newest of the Forgotten. And Cole, I appoint you as his guide, at least until he's comfortable with us." Then she stepped back, Cole smiling and taking a step towards Jay, holding out his hand. Jay nervously took it, shaking his hand. "This concludes today's announcements!" The kids in the crowd began to disperse, many of the younger children waving goodbye to their friends and heading to their older guides.

"So, uh... I'm Cole, by the way."

"I f-figured," Jay said with a slight smile. "Grace s-said your n-name when she called y-you up."

"O-oh... right, she did," Cole said, looking away. "Do you... know your way around this place yet?"

"I-Isn't they your job?" Jay asked.

"Yeah... oops... I forgot about that," Cole let out a chuckle. 'It is."

"I-It's okay."

"Well then, we better get going, then," Cole walked outside of the room, heading down the long hallway before leading Jay outside. The two walked over to the bike racks, where Cole grabbed his black bike. "I think the blue one is yours. Just check the nameplate first." Jay's eyes widened as he ran his hand over the navy bike seat.

"I-Is this really mine?" He asked, looking at the silver nameplate attached to the back of the seat.

"Uh, yeah. Everyone gets one," Cole said, mounting his own bike. Jay beamed, quickly grabbing the helmet off the seat and climbing on the bike. "It's easier to get around like this." Jay's hands were shaking as he fumbled with the helmet, pulling it over his head and buckling the chin strap. He pulled it tight, and almost dropped the bike when he mounted it. Cole chuckled at the younger boy's antics. "Just don't hurt yourself, okay?"

"I w-won't!" The two took off down the dirt road, Cole explaining every building and answering any questions Jay asked. The two spent most of the afternoon going around the village, Jay taking everything in.

"You getting hungry yet?" Cole asked when the two had stopped for a minute. Jay nodded, his blue eyes focusing on Cole for a second or two. Then he looked down at the handles of his bike.

"A l-little."

"Well then, let's go. It's almost dinnertime anyway."

Grace smiled as the two passed by her window, but her smile quickly faded when she remembered what she knew about the new boy in her care. Then she remembered what they all had in store for them.

She sighed and closed the curtains.

 ** _Okay, so I know that I have some explaining to do, so let me do it._**

 ** _This is an idea that came to me a few days ago, I get that the title is odd, but so's the story. The village is run entirely by kids who have run away from home. There's a little SciFi in here because when someone turns eighteen or twenty-one, their memories of the village are wiped; they'll still be able to remember the friends they made, but they won't know how they know them. They do add memories, but they're blurred, so are the memories of their parents, so when they leave, it's kinda like they're coming out of a fog of sorts._**

 ** _When one of the kids there turns thirteen, they either act as a guide for one of the newbies, or they begin a job, and each job is taught by someone over the age of eighteen. The leader keeps an eye on everyone, and chooses who becomes the next leader, usually when the person turns fifteen or sixteen. The village has enough room to house, at any given time, one hundred people. At this time, there's fifty people. The current leader is nineteen, meaning that she has around two years left, though she has to choose the next one within one year._**

 ** _Jeez, that was a long explanation. Okay, before my hand falls off, CameronNinjaDragons, signing off._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Pinkie Pie luvz Ninjago: No, I don't plan on having this skip a few years this chapter.**_

 _ **Darkrainbow (guest): Thank you.**_

"H-How long have you been living here?" Jay asked Cole. The two of them were sitting across from each other at one of the long tables at the end.

"I think it's been two years now?" Cole said, pausing. "Wait, yeah, it has. I was the first one Grace welcomed to the village, because I could hear the change from where I was before she called me out."

"W-Who was your guide?"

"This guy named Zane, but he was seventeen, and had to leave last year. He would've been the leader of his job if I hadn't come along when I did. I feel kinda bad for the guy, he was really nice, and smart, too. But not the best at social skills."

"He s-sounds nice." Jay said.

"Hey, dirt-clod!" Kai yelled.

"Oh great..." Cole groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. Kai slid into the seat next to Cole, elbowing him in the ribs in the process. "Jay, this is Kai. One of the weirdos you'll meet here."

"I heard that!" Then Kai leaned on the table, propping himself up with his elbow. "I'm way cooler then this dummy here, just so you know." Kai said, jerking his thumb at Cole, who crossed his arms, glaring daggers at Kai.

"I'm sorry for this one, I think he was dropped on his head one too many times." A girl said, her black hair shoulder length. She grabbed the back of Kai's shirt, forcing him to sit down. "I'm Nya." She said, reaching to shake hands with Jay. "Kai's younger sister."

"H-Hi." Jay stuttered, a blush tinting his cheeks. Cole raised an eyebrow.

"You okay, kid?" Cole asked, holding back a laugh. "Your face is a little red."

"I-It is?" Jay stuttered, covering his face with his hands.

"Hey, I'm just joking with you."

"I-I knew that!" Jay stammered. Grace walked up to the group of kids.

"You doing alright, Jay?" She asked.

"Y-Yes." Grace smiled.

"That's good. And this is a good group of friends you have here. They'll have your back." She said. "I'll try to check up on you before you go to bed." Jay nodded. "And Kai? I'd like to speak with you."

"Alright..." He muttered, getting up.

"Please leave your attitude here." Grace said, leading him out of the room.

"What did he do this time, Nya?" Cole asked.

"For once, I don't think he's done anything." Nya said with a laugh. "Or maybe he did. You can never be sure with Kai."

"Does he g-get in trouble a lot?" Jay asked.

"All the time. But he's still a good kid. Everyone here has a story, some a little worse then others." Cole said.

"W-What's yours?"

"I ran away from home. Believe me, not the most uncommon story. Some kids have been bullied, gotten into fights with their parents, they don't think that anyone understands them." Cole explained. "There's a few of each here."

"What's Kai's story?"

"He hasn't told any of us."

"I'm not even sure." Nya said. "But he's my brother, so I followed him here."

"O-Oh..." Cole had decided to not pester Jay and ask why he came to the village. People didn't usually ask why people left their lives, but Cole didn't mind Jay asking, he was new and didn't know everything yet. He just had to make sure that Jay didn't go around asking random people why they're here. Just then, Kai came back into the room, groaning and sitting down next to Cole again.

"What's wrong with you now?" Cole asked.

"A new kid arrived a little while ago, but everyone's booked, so I'm gonna be stuck with him." Kai groaned, his head dropping to the table. "I'm not supposed to become a guide until next year! The kid's seven, which means that I'll probably be stuck with the little twit for the next five years! Looks like I'm leaving when I'm eighteen for sure..."

"Kai, knock it off." Nya said. "It's good that you're going to be a guide; it'll help you with that temper."

"I don't have a temper! Cole, tell her that I don't have a temper!"

"But then I'd be lying." Cole said, Jay laughing as Kai glared at Cole.

"Cole!" Kai groaned.

"Is Grace having a meeting tomorrow for the kid?" Nya asked.

"Probably?"

"Well, d-do you at least know the kid's name?" Jay asked.

"Yeah. His name's Lloyd." Kai said.

 _ **What, you thought I wouldn't add Lloyd? Or Zane? HA! You guys make me laugh... Yes, I'm adding Lloyd next chapter, but you probably won't be seeing Zane until the end of the story, though. CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**StoryWriter2003: Yes, it is. XD**_

 _ **Pinkie Pie luvs Ninjago: Yeah, because I honestly see Cole as being the oldest of the team, other then Zane because we don't know how old he is.**_

 _ **iluvninjagothenextstepgirl: I might add him later, but remember, the village only has people under twenty one in it.**_

"We should be heading to bed soon." Cole said, yawning.

"W-Where's that?" Jay asked.

"Not far. It's just down the road. The girls' buildings are over that way." Cole said. "C'mon, let's go." The two went off down the road, soon turning onto a side-street and heading down the road, stopping at one of the building. They looked like a cabin you might see at a campground, but with a bike rack outside. Both Cole and Jay parked their bikes and went inside the building. There were three bunk beds in the building, and Kai was already laying on one of the top bunks. A boy with blonde hair was lacing up his sneakers on the bottom bunk of the second bed.

"You're Jay, right?" He asked. Jay nodded. "I'm Dylan. One of the night owls; every cabin has at least one."

"The night owls work at night, and they sleep during the day. They mostly do clean-ups and things like that, and they let each cabin know if they're going to get supplies from the next town over the next day or not." Cole explained.

"Yep. And Sleepin' Beauty above me is Don, he's the head of the cabin, sixteen. And my brother, older then me by two years. I've been a night owl for a year now; trust me, the first month is always the hardest." Dylan said with a lopsided grin. "Well, see you guys in the morning." He said, slipping out the door.

"H-He seems nice." Jay said.

"He is. A little off, but nice. He's going to eat, he'll do what he needs to, and then he'll join us for breakfast before going to bed." Cole said. "We have the bunk over there." Cole said, pointing to the last bunk. Jay walked over to the bunk, running his hand over the wood.

"W-What's with all the names?" Jay asked.

"Whenever someone leaves, they carve their names in the bed frame. You can tell when it's your time to leave, and you normally can't sleep. I remember the last person to leave our cabin. He couldn't sleep, and spent all night carving his name."

"That's kinda s-sad..."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Cole said. "But at the same time, it's how everyone leaves their legacy."

"I didn't think of it like that..." Jay said. "H-How long are you gonna be my guide?"

"As long as you need one." Cole said, grinning.

* * *

"Cole! Get up and look at this!" Kai yelled, grabbing Cole's arm and pulling him off the top bunk, Cole sitting up and rubbing his head. Jay rolled over, putting his pillow over his head.

"What is it this time?" Cole asked, groaning.

"We have to take the kid with us when we go into town today! Man, this sucks!"

"Would it kill you to call him Lloyd?" Cole asked.

"It just might."

"Hey, could the two of you shut it?" Don asked. "It's six in the morning, we don't have to be up until eight."

"We're going t-to the next town today?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, Jay, and Kai's being a baby about it." Cole said, sighing.

"No I'm not!"

"Yeah right!"

"I thought I told you guys to be quiet! Kai, please just go back to bed, or take a walk, or _something_ other then pestering Cole and Jay."

"Fine." Kai muttered, walking back to his bed.

"Thank you." Cole just sat down next to Jay instead of climbing back up to his bed. Jay didn't mind, Cole was nice.

Two hours later, everyone got up (if they weren't woken up by Kai and Cole), and began to head off for breakfast. Grace walked up to the front of the room, a little boy wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood over his head and black sweatpants.

"I would like Kai to come up here please." Grace said. Kai groaned, but stood up anyway. "I understand that we just had a meeting yesterday, but I didn't want Lloyd to have to wait a week. I am appointing Kai as his guide because I think that it will be good for both him and Lloyd. Lloyd is now the newest of the Forgotten! And now, I conclude the meeting."

"C'mon, kid." Kai muttered.

"My name's Lloyd." He said.

"So?" Kai led Lloyd back to where he was sitting, with everyone else. Lloyd walked away from Kai and sat next to Jay. Everyone said hello to Lloyd. Dylan walked over to the group.

"Hey guys. You know you're going into town, right?" Dylan asked.

"Yeah, Kai gave us a wake-up call announcing it." Cole muttered. Dylan laughed, clapping Cole on the back.

"That certainly sounds like Kai! Well, I'm going to bed before I drop dead from a lack of sleep. See you guys tonight." Everyone said goodbye.

"Hey Kai, aren't you going to show Lloyd around?" Nya asked.

"Can't Cole do it? I have to change." Kai got up, leaving Lloyd with Cole, Jay and Nya.

"I thought he was supposed to be showing me around." Lloyd said.

"He is. But Kai's just a little bummed on not getting a different job." Cole said, noticing Lloyd's unhappy look. "But don't worry, we'll take care of you."

"Thanks..."

 _ **Yeah, I made Kai a total jerk, but I can because it's my story. But I added Lloyd! And a new job system thingy. I'll delve a little deeper into Dylan's job system a little later in the story. CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Darkrainbow (guest): Yeah, I often have seen Kai as a jerk in stories.**_

 _ **Pinkie Pie luvs Ninjago: I just had the chapters done, so I decided to post them. I had no idea when I's be able to update again, so I just did it, kinda without thinking.**_

"There's really no grown-ups here?" Lloyd asked. The three of them had parked (dropped) their bikes near a tree and were sitting under said tree. Jay kept trying to climb the tree, though the lowest branch was eight feet off the ground.

"Only kids." Cole said.

"Y-Yeah! Kids run everything here!" Jay said happily. "And we're going into the next t-town today!"

"We are?"

"Yeah. Kai's supposed to come with up, and so's the leader of our cabin, Don." Cole said. "The teen you met earlier is Dylan, but he's a night owl, and won't be coming with us."

"What's a night owl?" Lloyd asked. Jay began to explain it to him, sitting down. Cole saw Kai biking to where they were, then dropping his bike with the other three.

"We still going into town today?" Kai asked.

"Probably. Have you talked to Don yet?"

"Uh, no."

"Of course you haven't." Cole muttered. "By the way, this is Lloyd, and you're his guide." He said, gesturing to the seven year old.

"I know that!" Kai snapped.

"Then I'm going to look for Don. Jay, are you coming with me, or staying here with Kai and Lloyd?"

"I'll come." Jay said, standing up. The two of them walked over to the bikes, finding theirs and taking off down the road.

"Don's working right now, and all the jobs are in the main building." Cole said as the two of them went down the road. "If I remember correctly, he's in electronics..." Cole muttered, parking his bike. The two walked into the building, Cole leading the way to electronics. When they entered the room, Jay's eyes widened.

"C-Can I look around?" He asked.

"Uh, sure. Just don't leave the room." Jay nodded, and went off to one of the computers. Cole rolled his eyes, walking to the back.

"Cole, what're you doing here?" Someone asked.

"I'm looking for Don. Where is he?"

"I think he's in back, probably working on developing some weird tech. He's pretty good with that stuff."

"Thanks." Cole said, nodding slightly as he walked to the back, seeing Don sitting at one of the tables, a small machine in front of him. "Hey, Don." Cole said, tapping his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"We're going into town today, remember?"

"Oh... that's today?" Don asked. "Oh! Right, we are! Sorry, it slipped my mind a bit." Then he looked behind Cole. "Where's Jay?"

"He went off to look at some of the tech. And Lloyd's with Kai."

"Huh. I didn't know Jay was a tech nerd." Don said, walking to the front of the room with Cole.

"Well, he never said anything about that." Then the two of them saw Jay sitting at one of the computer, typing something. "Jay, you ready to go?"

"He's amazing with computers!" One of the girls said, her brown hair twisted up in a loose bun. Jay turned to Don and Cole, grinning.

"D-Did you hear that?" Jay asked.

"Yeah." Cole said. "So, are you ready?" Jay nodded.

"Can we come back here?"

"We can try."

"I can take him with me tomorrow." Don offered. "I think Kai's gonna need some help with Lloyd, anyway."

"Knowing his temper, he definitely will."

* * *

"This is the same town I had to go through yesterday." Lloyd said as the group stashed their bikes just out of sight.

"I think everyone has to come through here." Don said. "I know I did."

"I was six at the time." Kai said. "I don't remember." Cole rolled his eyes, and Don lightly hit the back of his head.

"Why aren't the r-roads in the village paved?" Jay asked.

"None of us know how to pave a road." Cole said. "And we don't have enough money to buy the equipment needed."

"How do you guys even get money?" Lloyd asked.

"We sell what we can." Don said, tugging the strap of his backpack. "The tech gets more money, though." Then he handed Cole some money and a piece of paper. "Don't get anything other then what's on the list. Kai and Lloyd, come with me."

"Alright." Jay and Cole went down the road, Cole occasionally glancing at the list.

An hour later, Cole's backpack was full, everything on the list was crossed off, and there was only a dollar left.

"Were we supposed to meet everyone somewhere?" Jay asked. Cole had noticed that his stammer was less now, which meant that he wasn't as nervous.

"I'm not sure..." Cole said, laughing a bit. "That probably would've been a good thing to ask."

"Yeah..." Jay said.

"Well, if we keep walking, we're bound to run into them, right?"

"I guess s-so." So the two of them walked down the road some more, until Cole heard Kai. The two of them went over to where the voice was coming from, and Don, Kai and Lloyd were standing.

"We were looking for you two." Don said. "Where've you been?"

"Looking for you guys." Jay said.

"Didn't we set up a meeting point?" Lloyd asked.

"Uh... no." Don said. Kai let out an annoyed groan.

"We never set up those kinds of things." Kai muttered. "Our cabin is probably the most disorganized in the whole village."

"Kai, knock it off." Cole said. "Nobody asked you."

"Okay, changing the subject now. Cole, did you get everything?" Don asked.

"Yeah. And... here." Cole dug through his pocket, pulling out the dollar and handing it to Don.

"You're lucky I got a good amount of money." He said with a sigh.

"Are we heading back n-now?" Jay asked.

"Yeah." Don said.

* * *

The ride back to the village was uneventful, and when they did get back, Don took the backpack from Cole and went inside the main building, giving it, and the money to Grace.

"I can take Jay with me for the rest of the day." Don said, walking back outside. "I can come and find you guys at dinner."

"Can I?" Jay asked Cole.

"Are you sure it's okay, Don?" Cole asked.

"It's fine. Apparently he's great at technology, and I've been needing help with something for a while now."

"Alright." Cole said. "But you're with me tomorrow, Jay."

"Yes!"

"Well, in that case, could you take Lloyd for me?" Kai asked. "I told Nya that I'd help her with something..." Then he raced off on his bike, leaving Lloyd and Cole.

"Did you even give me a choice?" Cole asked, but Kai was too far away to hear him.

 _ **Wow, Kai's being a total jerk, especially to Lloyd. I feel kinda mean now. CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_(One Month Later)_

Jay's stammer had completely disappeared, and he was spending a couple days each week in electronics. Kai was actually spending time with Lloyd now, per Cole telling him to, and staying with them. And the other thing was that Grace had chosen who would replace her in two years. She had chosen a sixteen year old boy named Ryan, he wasn't head of his cabin because there was a seventeen year old in his cabin. But Grace trusted him.

"What do you need to do to be chosen as the next leader?" Lloyd asked.

"Well, you need to be loyal, helpful, and above all, trusted, not only by the village, but by the current leader." Cole explained. "For the whole time that someone's the leader-in-training and even a year or two after they become the leader, they think about who they're going to choose. The whole thing is years in the making. Weren't you listening last week?"

"Uh, not really." Lloyd said.

"Well, if you plan on being the leader, you need to get on Ryan's good side. He's not the most social person in town." Kai said, ruffling Lloyd's hair. The younger boy groaned and pushed Kai's hand away.

"How long does everyone have left here?" Jay asked. Suddenly, the lighthearted mood disappeared, and everyone fell silent.

"Well, none of us are really sure." Nya said. "I mean, it depends on how well you do at your job. If you become the leader of whatever you're assigned, then you have an extra three years. But you could get kicked out."

"What happens when you leave?" Jay asked.

"They wipe this place from your mind." Cole said. "They don't wipe your friends, just this place."

"When do you have to leave?"

"For most people, it's eighteen, but a few, like Grace and the leaders of the jobs leave at twenty one." Kai said, adding to what Jay and Lloyd now knew about the place they were living in.

"But how long to we each have?" Jay asked again.

"I have five, maybe eight years left." Cole said.

"Eight or eleven." Nya said.

"Six, definitely not nine." Kai said.

"Well, then I have eleven or fourteen years." Lloyd said.

"Seven to ten." Jay muttered. "I don't want to leave, I'll probably never see any of you guys again."

"Now, that's not true." Cole said, placing his hand on Jay's shoulder. "You know what? Let's make a deal right now." Cole stood up.

"What kinda deal?" Kai asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"One that we'll always remember, because we won't mention this place."

"What place?" Jay asked.

"Exactly! On this day fifteen years from today, we'll meet up at the bakery in the village, or the building that it's in, and not split up from then on." Cole said, pacing back and forth. "Agreed?" Everyone agreed to that plan, and Cole grinned.

"But, how are we all gonna remember this?" Lloyd asked.

"We could repeat it to ourselves every day." Jay said. "Or, use these." Jay said, pulling a package of Sharpies out of his pocket. "Write the date that we'd be meeting on on your arm, and write over it daily so it doesn't fade away."

"That's... actually a really good idea." Kai said. "When did you become smart?" Jay narrowed his eyes, and Lloyd hit Kai on the back of the head.

"Very funny, fire-boy." Jay said with a dry laugh.

"Fire-boy?" Nya asked. "Where'd that one come from?"

"Probably his temper." Cole said, leaning forward and ripping the package of markers open, taking the black one. Lloyd took the green one, Kai red, and both Jay and Nya reached for the blue one.

"O-Oh, you can have it." Jay said. His cheeks were red, and he looked down, handing the marker to Nya.

"Are you sure, Jay?" Nya asked.

"Y-Yeah." Jay said, grabbing the yellow Sharpie instead. "I'm sure." Cole and Lloyd snickered, while Kai narrowed his eyes at Jay and Nya.

"Well, thank you." Nya said, placing her hand on top of Jay's.

"You're welcome."

"Jay, you alright?" Cole asked. "Your stammers back."

"I'm fine!" Jay protested. Cole laughed, everyone else laughing.

"Oh, lighten up." Kai said, placing his hand on Jay's shoulder. "We're just joking with you."

"I know..." Jay muttered. And as everyone was laughing, they wrote the dates on their wrists.

 ** _So, this chapter is kinda sweet, and we actually got some Jaya fluff. Yay! CameronNinjaDragons, signing off._**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Yeah, I know I haven't updated. Shut up. In my defense, I was camping again. And, I know, I missed my own one year anniversary of fanfiction. I felt horrible for missing it, mind you. I've also been drawing, and Alex and Pyro are on my DeviantArt now. Okay, I'm going to get on with the chapter now.**_

"Cole, get up." Cole let out a groan, rolling over in his bed. "Come on, get up. I don't know where Kai went." Lloyd said, tugging on Cole's sleeve. "And Jay won't get up."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm ignoring you." Jay muttered. "I'm tired."

"Alright, Lloyd. What's up?" Cole asked, sitting up.

"I dunno where Kai is."

"What...?" Cole said, looking over at Kai's bed. "Oh great..." Cole jumped off his bed, walking to the door. "Both of you, stay here until I get back. Okay?" Both Jay and Lloyd nodded. "Good." Cole ran outside, getting on his bike and riding off. Lloyd looked over at Jay, grinning.

"I think you have to get up now." Lloyd said.

"Nuh uh." Jay replied. "Cole never said that I had to."

"Yeah, but I'm bored." Lloyd said.

"So? Go find a book or something."

"Where?" Jay groaned, rolling over and looking at Lloyd.

"I dunno, under one of the beds?" Jay said. "You might find a journal or something."

"Alright." Lloyd said, walking over to the bunk bed he shared with Kai and crouching down. Near the wall he saw a small book. Lloyd crawled under the bed on his stomach, reaching for the book and backing out quickly. "Jay, I found something!"

"Who's was it?" Jay asked, becoming interested in what was going on.

"It says... Kyle." Lloyd said. "Wait... I saw that name on my bed!" Lloyd pointed to one of the names near his pillow. "Want me to read it?"

"Sure." Jay said. Lloyd walked over to Jay's bed, sitting on the edge of it. Lloyd opened the journal to the first page.

" _March 13. I don't remember why I came here. But I remember being exhausted and meeting someone named George. He told me to stay with a person named Jake. He's fifteen. I'm only ten. I don't really have much else to say. I'll write again soon. ~Kyle."_ Lloyd looked over at Jay. "It's just his first day."

"Yeah, that's it." Jay said. "But his journal must've been under there for years."

"Yeah."

* * *

"Oh, come on! Where the heck is Kai!" Cole asked himself. He continued to head down the road on his bike, thinking of where Kai could be. Then he saw a bike dart down the road up ahead. "Kai, is that you?!" Cole yelled, racing after the person, who soon ditched their bike. Cole did the same, dropping his helmet on the ground.

"I'm not Kai." The person said, Cole recognizing the voice as a girl's. "It's Skylor."

"Oh, sorry." Cole said, picking up his helmet.

"But I do know where Kai is." Skylor said. "He said that he needed to get something from town."

"How did you-"

"Know that? Nya told me. I'm in her cabin." Skylor said with a chuckle. "She sent me out knowing that you'd go looking for him."

"Uh, thanks." Cole said, picking his bike up.

"It's nothing." And with that, she left. Cole, although puzzled, brushed it off as nothing and went back to his cabin to get Don.

* * *

"It says here that he thought there was something going on behind the scenes of this place." Lloyd said, pointing to something on the page. Jay looked at it, puzzled.

"There's nothing going on." Jay said. "At least, nothing that I can tell."

"Same here." Lloyd said. Both of them jumped when Cole opened the door, running in and over to Don, who was still asleep.

"Don, you need to get up! Kai went into town on his own!" Cole yelled, shaking the older boy's shoulder.

"Huh? What?" Don muttered.

"Kai went into town alone!"

"He what?!" Don yelled, jumping off the bed. "Go get Grace." Cole nodded, running back outside. Don looked over at Jay and Lloyd. "Will you two be okay on your own for a while? I can get Dylan back here early."

"We'll be fine." Jay said.

"Good." And with that, Don ran out the door after Cole.

 _ **Bad ending, I know. But I honestly couldn't think of any other way to end it. And yes, I've added Skylor. If you guys want any other characters from the show, games or comics in here, message me, or add it in your review. But I might say no. CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Okay, so now that school started (ugh, shop one week, normal school the next), I'll probably only update on the weekends. I'm sorry, but I'm swamped with homework every night! So there might be the rare occasions in the winter when I have a snow day and update during the week, but other then that it's weekends and vacations. Sorry guys._**

Don and Cole were sent looking for Kai, along with Ryan, Skylor and Nya. The five of them quickly headed to the village, hoping that Kai wasn't too far. Cole was honestly worried for him, because the last person who left on their own was kicked out, and the lesson was taught to each of the kids in the village at a young age. Cole looked over at Nya, who was shaking, Skylor trying to calm her down. Ryan seemed a little lost, not entirely sure how to lead the group, while Don was explaining a few things to him since he was a cabin leader.

"Come on Kai." Cole muttered. "Where the heck are you?"

Meanwhile, Kai was sitting on the ground with a boy a year younger then him that had a wide stripe of black in the middle of his white hair. His eyes were a pale violet, and he was nervously looking around.

"Kai, are you sure I'll be safe with you in this... village?" He asked.

"Yeah Neuro, you'll be fine." Kai assured. "I'm okay, right?" Neuro nodded, uncertain.

"Yeah..."

"See? But I'm sorry for taking so long. My cabin wasn't going out here for a while, so I had to leave on my own."

"I understand. From the way you talk, you seem to be rather to close to some of the people there..."

"Well, yeah, my sister's there. So I'm close to her of course."

"Understandable." Neuro said, nodding. "If I had a sibling, I would be close to them as well."

"Well, you'll grow close to people in the village."

"Yeah, I get it. Shall we go?"

"Yeah." Kai stood up, then helping Neuro to his feet.

"Kai?!"

* * *

The search party hadn't been having any luck when Ryan decided they should split up.

"Okay, Nya, Skylor and Cole, you three stay together, and Don, you're with me." Ryan said, starting off with Don.

"We could try the edge of the woods." Nya suggested.

"Good idea." Cole said as the three started out of tow, walking along the edge of the woods. They walked for about five minutes before Nya let out a cry.

"Kai?!" Cole and Skylor whipped their heads around, seeing Nya run into the trees. Skylor was the first to run after Nya, Cole hesitating before running after the girls.

"N-Nya?! What the heck are you doing here?!" Kai asked, shielding Neuro, who was shaking.

"Why did you leave?!"

"I promised Neuro I'd help him!" Kai snapped. Cole glanced over at Skylor.

"Go find Ryan and Don." Cole said to her, and she nodded, running off. Cole placed a hand on Nya's shoulder. "Tone it down." The girl huffed, looking away.

"I'm only trying to help someone!" Kai yelled.

"We get it, Kai!" Cole snapped. "Just shut up already!"

"What were you thinking?!" Don yelled at Kai, grabbing the back of his shirt. "You could've- who's this?"

"He's Neuro, and I promised that I'd help him." Kai growled.

"...Fine, if he wants, he can come with us." Ryan said, grabbing Kai's arm. He looked over at Neuro. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you."

"Okay..." Neuro said, following the small group.

* * *

"When are they gonna be back here?" Lloyd asked Jay, who was reading the names on his and Cole's bed.

"What was the name of the kid that Cole was partnered with?" Jay asked, ignoring Lloyd's question.

"Uh, I think his name was Zane. Why?"

"Well, I found his name."

"Jay, that doesn't answer my question." Lloyd said.

"Uh, right," Jay said. "What'd you want again?"

"When do you think everyone's going to be back?" Lloyd asked again.

"I'm not sure." Jay admitted.

"I hope they find Kai."

"Yeah, me-" Jay said, cut off by Nya opening the door.

"You two, lunch hall, now." She ordered.

"S-sure, Nya." Jay said, taking Lloyd's hand and getting up.

"Well, hurry up you two!"

"Alright, calm down!" Lloyd said.

 _ **Le gasp! What happens to Kai? And yes, I added Neuro per a request from StoryWriter2003 (though I was probably gonna add him anyway). I'll update as much as I can this weekend.**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Okay, be prepared for feels in this chapter. Oh, and don't kill me! That too! You'll wanna see the future development of this story!**_

Grace let out a sigh, standing next to Ryan. Kai was sitting at the front of the group of people while Don, Cole, Jay, Lloyd, Skylar, Nya and Neuro off to either side.

"I want you to take this one." Grace said to the sixteen year old next to her. "You could use the practice." Ryan gulped, tugging at the collar of his shirt.

"O-Okay..." Ryan said, taking a breath and composing himself. "Now Kai, is it true that you left on your own, and without telling anyone?"

"Yes..."

"And you knew that this was against the rules, right?"

"I know, but-"

"Yet you left anyway." Ryan stated, glancing back at a nodding Grace. "The rules are here to protect everyone, Kai. If you break them, you need to accept the punishment."

"But I was-"

"Please, don't interrupt me."

"I DID IT TO HELP SOMEONE!" Kai screamed, everyone in the room falling silent. "Okay?! I did it to help Neuro!" At this, the aforementioned boy seemed to shrink. Grace placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder, pulling him back a little and stepping forward.

"If all this is true, why didn't you ask someone for help?" Grace asked. "If you had asked Don to help you, he would've told me and planned a visit within a week, and Neuro would have a normal ceremony instead of this."

"I-I don't know why..." Grace sighed.

"Don, make sure that the only reason Kai leaves his cabin is to eat." Grace ordered. "Ryan and I will think of an appropriate punishment during that time." Kai looked at her, clearly annoyed.

"What about Lloyd?" Cole asked.

"You'll be in charge of him." Grace said. "Dismissed."

And with that, Kai's punishment began.

* * *

It was a few days later, and the day of Neuro's ceremony. Dylan had taken the previous night off so he could witness the ceremony. Lloyd was standing next to Cole and Jay, watching the front of the room. Neuro walked out onto the stage per Grace calling him out, and then she called a boy named Tyler up.

And then she called Kai out.

"Last week, Kai left town on his own." Grace said calmly. "He only told his younger sister Nya where he was going. Kai was helping Neuro, though that is not an acceptable excuse. Ryan and I have decided that Kai will have the rest of the week until he has to leave." Cole's eyes widened, and Lloyd almost fell over, clutching tightly to Cole's arm.

"No..." Jay said. "She's not serious, right?"

"Jay, Grace isn't the joking type." Cole said.

"But she wouldn't do something that mean, right?" Lloyd asked. Cole looked at the seven year old, who had tears streaming down his face.

"I am also appointing Cole as the guide for both Jay and Lloyd." Cole could see Nya crying as Skylor tried to calm her down. Neuro lowered his head, clearly feeling guilty. "That concludes this meeting." Kai stood awkwardly at the front of the room, Nya running up to him the second Grace left. The boy hugged his younger sister, who was full-force sobbing now.

"Come on." Cole said, leading the two up to the front of the room, Lloyd breaking off and hugging Kai.

 _ **What have I done?! Why must I be evil?! I'm heading to the corner now...**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Oh, and the feels continue in this chapter. And Neuro is helping! Yay for him!**_

 _ **And powergirl1 asked if they still had their powers, and that got me thinking. So here's something about this place. The longer you're there, the weaker your powers become. But at the same time, if you never unlocked your powers, it delays them from appearing, and they might not be as powerful as someone that was never in the village in the first place.**_

"Why?" Nya asked, hugging her older brother. Kai didn't have to ask what she meant. He knew.

"I wasn't thinking. Like usual, I wasn't thinking." Kai snapped. "I was stupid."

"Kai, you're not stupid." Cole said. "Just... a little irrational."

"Yeah, but now I don't have anywhere to go." Kai said sadly. Neuro looked over at Kai.

"I... may be able to help." He said. "I can, connect to other people's minds, for the most part. If anyone has an idea, I might be able to reach out to them, persuade them to accept Kai." Jay and Lloyd looked over at Cole.

"Actually, there is someone." Cole said, knowing what the younger two boys were thinking. "Zane Julian."

* * *

Zane didn't know what was going on when he felt a slight buzzing in the back of his head, almost like static. At first it _was_ just static, but he began to pick out two words repeated over and over, _help,_ and _Kai._

And Zane knew what he had to do.

* * *

"I'll keep going during the day." Neuro said. "That way, when Kai does end up leaving, he'll have somewhere to go."

"Thanks." Kai said, placing a hand on Neuro's shoulder.

"Please. I was just helping a friend."

"You've done more than help." Skylor said, attempting to ignore the shock that she received apoun resting her hand on Neuro's shoulder.

"Do we just wait for now?" Nya asked. "Wait until Kai has to leave and has his mind wiped?"

"No." Jay said, stepping forward. "I say that we make the most of the next few days."

* * *

"Oh, come on, Kai!" Lloyd said, smiling up at the older boy. "It's just a bike race!"

"I don't exactly wanna be sent out there with a broken wrist." Kai said with a sigh.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure that's it's only sprained." Cole said, placing a hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"I feel so reassured now..." Nya laughed at her older brother and pushed him towards his bike.

"Lighten up, brother." She said, getting on her own bike. "Hey Neuro, are you coming?" The violet-eyed boy was sitting on the ground., looking at the other kids.

"No thank you. I'm not very... outgoing."

"You don't say." Jay said, ready to speed off as soon as someone said go.

"Okay, enough chit-chat." Cole said. "Ready... set... GO!" Everyone (except Neuro) sped off as soon as Cole said that, Cole was surprised that Jay was ahead of him.

"You're not winning that easily, spark-plug!" Kai yelled, grinning as he sped after Jay, Cole having to swerve out of the way. He rolled his eyes before racing after the two.

"Hey! Don't think you four are beating me!" Nya yelled at the four boys in front of her.

"We don't think, we know!" Lloyd said with a laugh as he passed her.

"Not you too!" Neuro sighed, watching the five. He honestly did feel bad that Kai would have to leave because of him.

Closing his eyes, Neuro focused on Zane again, attempting to connect with his mind again.

" _Who are you?_ " Neuro's eyes opened and he placed a hand over his chest. He swallowed before closing his eyes again, hearing Zane repeat the question.

" _I-I'm Neuro._ "

" _How are you talking to me right now?_ " Zane asked.

" _I can connect with people's minds._ " Neuro said. " _It's a gift I've had for a few years now._ "

" _Are you the one telling me to help someone named Kai?_ "

" _Yes, he's one of my friends, but he got in trouble, and will be in a small town called Spinner on Friday._ "

" _If I am correct, you wish for me to take care of him?_ " Zane asked. Neuro opened his eyes for a minute, seeing as he was beginning to get a headache.

" _Yes, please._ "

" _Understood. I'll do what I can to help your friend._ "

" _Thank you."_ Neuro didn't wait for a response, he opened his eyes and lay down on the grass. He decided that he would wait for the others to come back.

 ** _Oh yeah, I'm adding Zane! Happy?_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**10 chapters already?! Actually, this has been taking longer than expected... heh... Anyway, this chapters skipping ahead a few days to when Kai has to leave, expect sadness, especially from Nya. And expect some chapters, or at least parts of them focusing on Zane and Kai. Also, if anyone can remember the foreshadowing that led to Kai leaving early, leave the quote down below.**_

Today was the day. They all knew it, and dreaded it.

But to Kai and Nya, it was pure torture.

Kai was sitting on the steps of his cabin, hands shaking like mad and teeth chattering. Everyone else knew better then to mess with the hothead when he was like this; ready to blow a fuse at any given second. But Nya rushed over to her older brother anyway, throwing her arms around his neck. Kai absentmindedly reached out, wrapping a shaking arm around his sister's shoulders.

"D-Dang it, Nya..." Kai said, sniffing quietly. "You're j-just making this worse..."

"But you shouldn't be leaving in the first place!" Nya yelled. Kai looked at his sister, eyes displaying the sadness they both felt. They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before Cole walked up to the two of them, resting a hand lightly on the older sibling's shoulder. Kai looked up before nodding slowly. Cole reached into his pocket, holding a red Sharpie out for Kai to take before tapping the side of his own head, Kai understanding the gesture and pocketing the marker.

"You're only making this harder..." Cole said quietly.

"Y-Yeah, I know." Kai said, rising to his feet. Cole hated seeing the headstrong one of the group so... weak, if that was even the right word. More like... broken. But it absolutely killed the older teen on the inside.

"Nya... you coming?" Cole asked. The girl nodded, but didn't move from her seat.

"Sis, c'mon." Kai said, reaching a hand towards Nya, a forced smile on his lips. Nya, head still down, took Kai's hand, though her own was drenched in a cold sweat that made her brother flinch. "At least try to look alive, kay?" Nya's amber eyes glared up at her brother, red and puffy from crying, her face blotchy.

"I'll... I'll just go on ahead..." Cole said, walking away.

"I've made up my mind." Nya said, catching her brother off guard. "I'm going with you."

"Nya, you can't be serious!" Kai said, shocked. "No, you're staying here!"

"Kai, try thinking of someone other then yourself for once!"

"I did! That's why I have to leave today!" Kai yelled, Nya not even flinching. "And try thinking about yourself! Nya, you're ten! I don't even know who this Zane guy _is_!"

"Kai, I _am_ thinking about myself; the fact that I can't go on with you not here is what I'm thinking about!" Nya snapped, gripping her brother's arm so hard he was afraid her fingers would snap off. "I can't stay here without you!" Kai looked down at his feet before wrapping his arms around his sister. She struggled to push away from him, and Kai held onto her shoulders, looking right into Nya's eyes.

"Nya, listen to me." Kai said. "You're not going to be alone here, Jay, Cole, Lloyd, Neuro and Skylar are still here, right?" He didn't let her answer.

"Yes, they are, and I trust them to take care of you. I would trust any of them with my life, and you should, too. They're like family at this point." Nya sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "Okay?"

"I-I'm sorry, Kai..." She said, looking down.

"Nya, there's nothing for you to be sorry about." Kai said, taking his sister's hand. "Now come on, let's get this over with."

* * *

Kai's head was throbbing something fierce when he sat up. He looked around at his surroundings, feeling memories slip from his head like sand between his fingers, yet one name in particular clung to his mind.

"Nya!" He yelled, jumping to his feet and looking around for his younger sister. Looking at the path behind him, he couldn't help but feel that his sister might be that way... No, she couldn't be, Kai decided, shaking his head. He began to walk towards the town, looking at all the vendors, some of which greeted him like an old friend, sparking some confusion from the boy. He had an idea as to who he was looking for, but couldn't quite remember the name... Zane! That was it!

His focus was drawn to a tall man with pale blue eyes and white-blonde hair that was sitting at a table by himself, a book in his pale hands.

"Uh, excuse me, sir?" Kai said, approaching the man. "I'm looking for a man named Zane, could you help me...?"

"Who would be asking?" The pale man asked, setting the book down.

"Uh, Kai Smith."

"I am Zane." The man said, and Kai let out a sigh of relief, shoulders dropping. "Come, you look tired."

"Thank you, I am."

 _ **So that's what happens to you when your mind is wiped. Yeah, I actually did it.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**_Time skip? Time skip._**

 ** _And guys? I really need your help now. I can't think of what to do next. I'm trying to keep Pyro, Alex, Cameron, Arabesque and Emma out of this (I'm working with them behind the scenes), but it's getting really hard to! And there's a new character that I'm also working on. So if you have some ideas, please let me know! I prefer you use pm, but if you're a guest, you can use the reviews._**

 _(One Year Later)_

It was hard to believe that a year ago Kai left. So much had happened since then, and it was hard for Cole to process it all. For starters, Lloyd had decided that he didn't need Cole to lead him around anymore, and started hanging out with a boy named Brad.

Jay was twelve now, yet still wanted Cole to be his guide. Nya was eleven, and since Kai had left, had barely spoken to anyone, even Jay. Neuro barely spent time with his guide, the thirteen year old instead choosing to stay around Cole, Jay and Nya. Tyler didn't seem to care though, and ignored Neuro for the most part. Neuro didn't care. He had Jay, Cole and Nya.

* * *

Kai had settled in with Zane within the first two months. Granted, he still had tons of questions and only about two answers, but he was okay with that for now. Though he would like to know where his sister was. He could only really remember what she looked like and her name; Nya. Kai knew that she was three years younger then he was.

"Zane?" Kai said, looking over to the nineteen-year-old. Zane looked up from the book he was reading, closing it and placing the item on the coffee table.

"Yes, Kai?"

"What do you know about me?" Kai asked. Zane paused, his pale blue eyes studying Kai for a moment.

"I know that you are thirteen years old, that you are extremely defensive-"

"That's not what I mean." Kai said, interrupting Zane. "I mean before I came to live here."

"I... I am afraid I don't know anything other then what I've learned about you in the past year." Zane admitted. Kai stood up, heading to the door. "Kai, where are you going?"

"I'm going to find out more things about who I am." Kai said. Zane's eyes widened and he jumped up off the couch.

"Then I am certainly coming with you! I was told to take care of you; I'm not letting you go out alone." Zane said, grabbing his coat off of the hook by the door.. Kai rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, sure."

 ** _THE FILLER IS COMING TO HAUNT YOU! God dang it... I have nothing else to add... I'm sorry... please don't hate me... I literally have nothing else to do with this story right now... So, I do have some stuff planned with On My Own. And YouTube. So I guess I'll see you guys soon. CameronNinjaDragons, signing off._**


	12. Chapter 12

_**What is up guys? CameronNinjaDragons here, and I'm here to explain my absence in the Ninjago fandom.**_

 _ **For starters, I now have a boyfriend, so I've been more focused on him, and less on fanfiction.**_

 _ **Secondly, I have become Undertale trash, and I'm actually working on a few real books. So while I'm definitely not on fanfiction as much anymore, you can still contact me, seeing as I reply to all messages and some reviews that people who have accounts post.**_

 ** _Finally, I have a second account! It's under the name BlueBlipRadar, and I'll be putting my more inappropriate stories on that, as well as any re-writes, so I'm transferring Twisted Ninjago to that account, and I'll have some more stuff up there, too._**

"It's been a year now, Jay," Nya said quietly, looking over at the teen. "It's been one year since Kai left." Jay looked over at the smaller girl, seeing tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

"It still hurts."

Jay but his lip, not sure what to say to his friend. But before either of them knew what was happening, Jay has his arms wrapped around Nya, and she had her face buried in his shirt, her hands gripping the fabric.

And when Nya looked up, her amber eyes shining, Jay couldn't help himself.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to Nya's. She pulled back, shocked at first, but then pressed their lips together again, tugging on the front of his shirt, pulling Jay closer.

"Uhm... am I interrupting something?"

Jay and Nya instantly moved away from each other, and Jay's face was a bright scarlet.

"N-No," Jay said quickly, looking at Cole. "You, uh... didn't see anything, right?" Cole chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Nope. What were you two doing, anyways?" Cole asked, looking at the two.

"N-Nothing," Nya said, looking down. Cole chuckled again, nodding in amusement.

"If you two say so," he said, turning to Jay. "By the way, Grace and Ryan want to see you."

"N-Now?"

"Yeah," Cole said, getting up to leave. "By the way, you're stammering again."

"C-Cole!"

* * *

Jay took a deep breath, pacing outside of the room that Grace was often in. She lived in a small apartment with Ryan, and it had a main living room in the center, with two bedrooms branching off to either side. A desk sat at the back of the room, and there was a bathroom behind one of the closed doors.

Jay was currently sitting on one of the plush couches, the quiet murmur of Grace and Ryan's voices coming from behind one of the doors. Then, the voices suddenly stopped, and the door opened. Jay quickly stood up.

"No need to worry, Jay," Grace said, sitting in one of the chairs. "Ryan just wants to ask you a few questions. There's no need to be so jumpy."

"O-Okay," Jay said, sitting back down. Ryan grabbed a chair from the nearby kitchen table, spinning it around and folding his arms, resting them on top of the back. "What do you want to know?"

"As you know, Grace is leaving in a few months," Ryan said, gesturing to the girl sitting next to him. "And I know that I won't be able to lead this place by myself, so I was thinking of choosing my replacement as soon as, or soon after Grace leaves. Do you think that Cole would be a good choice?"

Jay sat there for a moment, shocked by what he was hearing.

"Of course, if he's still your guide, you'd be welcome to share a room with him here," Ryan said, looking at the boy. "So, what do you think? You would know him best out of anyone here, so I wanted to ask you if this would be a good idea."

Jay continued to sit here, processing the information that he was just told.

"I... I think that Cole would be a great choice," Jay said after a minute. "I've known him since I came here, and he hasn't done anything wrong." Grace smiled softly, while Ryan nodded.

"Thanks, Jay," the older boy said as Jay began to walk to the door. "By the way, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tell anyone about this."

"Of course," Jay said, nodding as he left the apartment.

 _ **Yes, I made Jay and Nya kiss. It's honestly not that bad, though. They're like, thirteen and twelve.**_

 _ **Anywho, quite a lot happened this chapter. It's been revealed that Cole is going to be the next leader, though I didn't really show you guys anything with Kai and Zane, because I honestly don't know what to do with the two of them. I know! I'll let you guys decide!**_

 _ **Whoever sends me a pm with what should happen gets an oc added to the story! And if you don't have an oc, I can just add a specific character from the show.**_

 _ **And now, without further ado, CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**I think this story has too many time skips in it. Anywho, who likes Grace? Y'know, the current leader? Well, say your goodbyes, folks, cause she's leaving!**_

 _(Three Months Later)_

Grace had a sad smile on her face as she looked up at the sky.

She, and everyone else in the village were wearing heavier clothes than usual, seeing as it was snowing lightly. Grace was wearing a pair of pale blue skinny jeans, grey boots that went halfway up her shins, a dark blue flannel, and a leather jacket. Her backpack was sitting in the last room she would see before she left. She took a shaky breath, stepping forward with Ryan and glancing down at the paper in her hands.

"Good morning everyone," Grace started. "I am talking to you all today to say goodbye. As of yesterday I was twenty-one, and as of today, I have to leave. Ryan is more than capable of leading all of you, and he will be performing my ceremony. But first, I will share why I came here."

"Both of my parents were killed by a wildfire when I was five. We were camping, and something sparked it, burning and badly scarring my lower back, and killed my older sister, father, and mother. I was extremely lucky that Kyle, one of the older boys here in the town. If he hadn't found me, I would be dead right now." Grace took a breath, looking out over her group, the young children, most of whom were standing with their older guides. And then she glanced over at Ryan, sending a small smile in his direction, and he nodded in response.

"And with that, I hand leadership over to Ryan."

* * *

Cole could barely focus as the ceremony was going on. Although Jay was standing next to him, gripping his hand, that didn't stop the tears that insisted on pooling in his eyes, threatening to spill over and stream down his face. But then Grace left the front of the room, heading to the back room where her mind would be wiped.

That's when Ryan was made the official leader.

He began talking, though Cole wasn't paying any attention. He heard Nya be called up to the front, and she was appointed as the guide for a small girl. That's when Cole noticed the dark purple tail flicking around the girl's legs, and saw her hoodie moving, though it was clear that she wasn't tugging on it with her hands.

"Cole, look at her!" Jay said, looking excitedly at his mentor. "She's a Hybrid!" Cole glanced at Jay, nodding.

"There's been Hybrids here before," He said dismissively, though Jay was still staring at the girl, who quickly made her way into the crowd with Nya, her blonde hair swinging behind her in a loose braid. Another person, a young boy with spiky red hair and green eyes, was soon added to the crowd, waving at the Hybrid. Ryan began talking again, and Cole allowed himself to zone out again.

Until he was called up, and everyone began cheering.

Cole was extremely confused as he blindly walked to the front of the room, Jay next to him. "I now appoint Cole as the next leader in training, and he will remain Jay's guide." Cole was barely able to comprehend exactly what was going on, and was vaguely aware of Jay holding his hand as he walked up to the front of the room.

* * *

The day passed by in a blur.

Ryan had made an exception for the Hybrid and the red-headed boy, and gave them a cabin together, and Nya assured him that she was perfectly capable of watching the two thirteen-year-olds. The Hybrid was named Cameron, while the red-head hadn't said his actual name, instead asking to be called Pyro.

Cole and Jay had returned to their cabin, and gathered their stuff before moving into Grace's old room. An extra bed had been moved in there for Jay, while Cole was given the large, king-sized bed. Now, he and Jay were sitting with Nya under the usual tree, Cameron and Pyro sitting in the tree above them, laughing about nothing.

"I've never seen a Hybrid this close up before!" Jay whispered loudly to Nya, snapping Cole out of his stupor. Cameron peered down out of the tree, growling slightly.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk about me," she said, jumping down out of the tree, Pyro following her more slowly. Then Cameron glanced over at Cole, tilting her head to the side with a confused trill. "I'm sorry, but who're you?"

"Oh, uh, Cole," he said, holding out his hand. She looked at his hand, confused for a moment before warily shaking it. She flicked her tail, seeming to purposely hit his knee before darting back up into the tree. "Uh, nice to meet you?"

 ** _I know, abrupt ending, but I could use some help. Would you guys like to see any relationships (other than Jaya) develop into anything? If so, who would you like to see? CameronNinjaDragons, signing off._**


	14. Question Time!

_**What is up guys? CameronNinjaDragons here, and I have something that I'd like you guys to fill out for me real quick, so I can get a better idea of how you guys want this story story to go. This is one of my stories that I'm willing to make changes to according to what you guys want. Anywho, this is gonna be multiple choice for the most part, with one or two that I want you guys to have your own input on. Now, without further ado, let's get started!**_

 ** _1) Would you like to see Jay and Nya end up as a couple, or Jay and Cole?_**

 ** _a. JayxNya_**

 ** _b. JayxCole_**

 ** _2) Do you want everyone to meet Sensei Wu at the end, and continue the story, ot do you want me to just end it when the day they meet up outside of the village happens?_**

 ** _a. Meet Sensei and continue the story_**

 ** _b. Meet Sensei and end the story_**

 ** _c. Meet each other and end the story_**

 ** _3) Do you want Cameron and Pyro to be included in the "Sharpie Pact"?_**

 ** _a. Yes_**

 ** _b. No_**

 ** _4) Are there any of my ocs that you want me to add to the story? (i.e. Zander, Alex, Blue, Wess ect.)_**

 ** _a. Let me know in your review!_**


	15. Chapter 14

_**GUESS WHOS BACK GUYS! Haha, I've only been grounded since December, no big deal. Anywho, I decided to update this story, but at the same time, I had to tally up the polls first, and darn you all for being so indecisive about this! I'm gonna have to flip a coin, or roll a die or something. Anywho, from the results, most of you want Jaya (I'll still throw in a bit of bruiseshipping here and there because one of you wanted it, and so did I) and for those of you who wanted NyaxCole, THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION. PICK ONE OF THE TWO I GAVE YOU.**_

 _ **Ahem. My apologies.**_

 _ **Now, for the second one I literally had to look up an online die-rolling simulator because it was a three-way tie. And I had it set up that (a) was 1 and 2, (b) was 3 and 4, and (c) was 5 and 6, and it was a five. You all seemed to agree that Pyro and Cameron were NOT going to join the Sharpie Pact. Now, without further ado, onto the chapter.**_

 _ **Also, I just remembered that Kai isn't in the village anymore, and that I started off this chapter using him in the village, WHEN HE ISN'T EVEN THERE ANYMORE. Darn my memory.**_

 _(One Month Later)_

Jay was shivering as he stood outside of his old cabin, wearing an old jacket that was too big for his body. Cole was inside, trying to settle a small dispute between Don and the new boy who had been assigned to Dylan shortly after Cole and Jay had moved out. Irvin was a small boy, yet, for some reason, he would simply sit and take it until Dylan would send for Cole or Ryan. Jay had never been a fan of the arguing, and would simply wait outside.

"Are you okay?"

Jay's eyes widened and he flinched, before looking over at Lloyd, who was standing on the steps.

"Sorry for scaring you," Lloyd said, sitting down. Jay shrugged, sitting next to him and rubbing his arms. "Cold?"

"Yeah," Jay admitted, switching to breathing onto his hands. "But I'm not a fan of all the yelling." Lloyd let out a small chuckle, flicking his gaze to the road in front of him. His green eyes were dull and tired.

"I don't blame you, sparky," the boy then pulled a small worn book out of his pocket, before opening it to a certain page and passing it to Jay. He looked over at the blonde, confused. "It's the journal we found before, remember? The one about Kyle?" Jay's blue eyes lit up, and he quickly grabbed the book from Lloyd's hands.

"What did you find?"

"Well, apparently Kyle was able to watch the process of wiping the memories from a person's head," Lloyd explained, pointing to the shaky scrawl that covered the page. "It's... pretty horrific." Jay turned his gaze away from Lloyd, and began to read over the process, and the description made his stomach turn. Then he noticed a diagram that Kyle had apparently drawn, and he actually had turned his head to the side and vomited. Now Jay was shaking for more reasons than one. He thrust the book back into Lloyd's hands.

"Please, keep that thing away from me," Jay said, hugging his knees as he sat on the steps next to Lloyd. The blonde nodded, standing up and kicking loose snow over the vomit. Jay wiped his mouth on his sleeve, clearing his throat. "I don't want to know what else is in this thing." Lloyd let out a dry laugh, shoving the book into his pocket.

"I don't blame you," Lloyd said, shuddering. Fine, white powder began to swirl down from the sky, sticking to Jay's rust-colored hair and the green wool hat that Lloyd had on. "Irvin doesn't even want to look at it, and he's so... quiet? Boring might be a better word. It's just been so strange since you and Cole moved into the main building. Don has more of a temper, especially since Irvin decided to be a Night Owl like Dylan."

"It's been weird for me, too," Jay admitted quietly.

* * *

The two boys sat outside until Cole was finished, simply talking about the past month.

"How's Nya, by the way?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head. "She has the Hybrid and her friend, right?"

"Yeah," Jay said, "and she's doing okay. Sure, they're both a handful, but other than that, they simply run off on their own in the village. So she usually just spends the days by herself."

"What about you?" Lloyd asked. "I thought she usually stayed with you." Jay looked off to the side, feeling his face heat up.

"W-well, uh..." he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I check up on her every once in a while-"

"It's every few hours, isn't it?"

"N-no! Well... yes."

Lloyd rolled his eyes at Jay's reaction, brushing some of the snow off of his sleeve. Then he sighed, folding his arms and resting his chin on his arms. Jay looked over at him, before tapping his shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lloyd cut him off first.

"Do you ever think about your parents?"

Jay looked curiously at the younger boy, unsure of how to answer.

"Well... yeah, but why wouldn't I?"

Lloyd sighed again.

"My... my parents aren't like most parents," Lloyd said. Jay had looked over at him, wanting to say something but letting Lloyd talk. "I don't remember my mom. When I was little, she dropped me off at some... foster home or whatever you wanna call it. And my dad- You won't tell anyone this, okay? It would pretty much ruin everything for me here."

"I promise, this'll stay between the two of us."

Lloyd nodded.

"Well, have- have you ever heard of the Underworld?"

"Of course! My parents used to tell me stories about it!"

"Well... my dad..." Lloyd let out a sigh. "When I was little, my dad was banished to the Underworld... Meaning that I never really got to hug him, because how can you hug a shadow with red eyes...?"

Jay blinked at him.

"I haven't seen him or even heard his voice since I got here... I miss him..." Lloyd screwed his eyes shut, hanging his head. Jay looked over at the eleven year old, not sure what to do. Hesitantly he wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and when Lloyd didn't flinch away, Jay hugged him. For a few minutes, they sat in silence, Jay quietly comforting the younger boy.

When the door of the cabin opened, Jay jumped back and Lloyd quickly rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Ready to go, Jay?" Cole asked, jumping down the steps. "I think everything is set here, and Ryan wanted us to go into town for... Oh! Somebody talked about seeing some kid sleeping on a bench."

"Yeah, I'm ready," he said, getting to his feet. "Can Lloyd come with us?"

"No... no, I'd like to stay here," Lloyd said, Jay being able to hear the slight shakiness in his voice. "Thanks for asking though." The younger boy smiled up at Jay. "I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah, of course," Jay smiled at him, before getting on his bike and going after Cole.

 _ **Woo! Alrighty then, now this chapter is FINALLY done! I hope you guys enjoy because I have no idea when I'll be able to update again. ^-^' CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


	16. Chapter 15

**_Back again! Woo!_**

 ** _I'm re-writing/editing the earlier chapters of this story, so this'll update even slower than usual! XD_**

 ** _THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A LOT OF SPOILERS FOR MY IF ONLY SERIES._**

Jay was shivering as he followed Cole along the bike path out of the village, the snow and wind hitting his face and mussing up his hair. It had upset him a good amount to leave Lloyd after the boy had said so much, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to say no to Cole. So he followed his guide down the narrow, shoveled path, trying to keep his bike steady.

It didn't take long for them to come to the field, and the snow had been piled up pretty high in front of the pathway, effectively covering the two boys. They ditched their bikes and then went towards the town on foot.

"So, Skylor was saying that she had seen a girl sleeping on one of the park benches last time her and Nya's cabin was sent into town," Cole said, trudging through the snow. "She seemed young... maybe ten or so? But the girls didn't try to bring her back because she seemed okay, but that was a few weeks ago. We were told to try and bring here back with us."

"Yeah," Jay said, not really paying attention to Cole. "Nya mentioned her. She said that the girl kinda looked like you." Cole simply shrugged, walking along the road that weaved through the snow-covered fields. Within a few minutes, the town was in view.

"Watch where you step," the older boy said, sidestepping a patch of ice on the road. "I don't want you getting hurt, and I don't think you'd like to wrench you knee or ankle on any of this stuff." Jay looked over at him, a faint blush covering his cheeks. Then Cole swung his bag off of his shoulders and took out an orange beanie. He pulled it over his hair before tossing a blue one to Jay.

"Why's yours orange?" Jay asked as he pulled on his hat.

"It's my favorite color," Cole said with a smile, adjusting his hat again. Jay smiled, before adjusting the hat so his bangs were visible. The older boy looked over at him, laughing.

"What is it?" Jay asked, tilting his head to the side again.

"You," Cole replied, grabbing the blue hat off of Jay's head. "You look like a dork." Jay grabbed his hat, having to jump a little to reach it.

"Look who's talking," Jay retorted, gesturing to Cole's bright orange hat. "I could see you in the middle of the night."

"And you don't even need a hat for me to do that," Cole said, grinning. "Your hair is so bright, it's like a searchlight." Jay chuckled before rolling his eyes.

"Very funny," Jay said, using more sarcasm than needed. "Shouldn't we be finding that girl now?" Cole nodded, and the two of them headed down the main road.

The two had been walking for about ten minutes when Cole stopped walking, picking something up off the ground. Jay continued to walk for a few seconds, before realizing that Cole had stopped. He turned back to the dark-haired boy.

"Cole?" Jay asked, raising an eyebrow. "Whats behind your back?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Cole said, making Jay shake his head and roll his eyes. When Jay turned back around and continued walking, he felt something hit his shoulder. Small pieces of it fell down the back of his jacket, making him shiver. When he turned around, Cole was tossing a snowball in his left hand and catching it again.

"Oh, so that's how it is, huh?" Jay said, bending down and scooping up a handful of snow. The cold made his fingers and palms numb as he formed the snow into a ball, before throwing it at Cole. The older boy quickly ducked it, turning and watching the snowball hit the ground.

"Ha! Is that the best you-!"

Cole's sentence was cut short as a snowball hit him square in the face, making him cry out in surprise. Jay covered his mouth with both hands, laughing. Cole wiped the snow out of his bangs, looking over at his friend.

"Oh, you're asking for it now!" Cole yelled, scooping up more snow and running after Jay. The younger boy let out a yell, before turning and running form his friend, laughing. Jay turned a corner, skidding on the ice a little before darting around the building, Cole close behind him. Jay ran around a snowbank, before falling to the ground and letting out a yell of pain. Cole dropped the snowball, running up to his friend.

"Jay!" Cole cried. The younger boy was shakily sitting up, keeping his left knee still. "What hurts?"

"M-my knee!" Jay cried, tears running down his cheeks, his shoulders shaking.

"Okay, okay," Cole said, crouching in front of Jay and putting his hand on Jay's shoulder. "Can you walk?" Jay shook his head furiously. Cole bit his lip, not knowing what to do.

"Do you two need some help?"

 _ **Okay, okay, I know I haven't updated any of my stories in MONTHS, but I have a reason why! My laptop died recently, and school has been a pain in my neck. I quickly typed this chapter out on my tablet, but I probably won't be able to upload another chapter until after Christmas, since I'm gonna buy a new laptop then. Sorry for the cliffhanger though!**_

 _ **CameronNinjaDragons, signing off.**_


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